Shortest Players in the NBA

Height in sports is often a commodity, but these few players at their respectful positions give that a whole new meaning. We`re talking about a couple guys who aren`t even close to 6 feet. That`s at least a 7-inch disadvantage with the average height between 6 feet, 6 or 7 inches.

Let`s take a quick look at some of the shortest guys to hobble down the hardwood during their NBA careers.

Shortest Player In NBA History

Muggsy Bogues - Point Guard, 5 feet, 3 inches The beloved pint-sized passer and thief of the basketball lasted an astounding 13 seasons despite his 5 foot, 3 inch stature. Bogues started his career with the Washington Bullets as a 12th overall pick, playing alongside one of the tallest players in history, Manute Bol, in his rookie campaign. Bogues was remembered for his days with the Charlotte Hornets where he amassed 5,525 points and 1,065 steals in nine years. The smallest player in NBA history also had 39 blocks in his lengthy career.

Shortest Players By Position

Nate Robinson - Guard, 5 feet, 9 inches At just 5 feet, 9 inches, Nate Robinson is an elite distributor of the ball. He averaged almost a steal per game and 3 assists from his rookie season in 2005. He`s also a three-time slam-dunk champion (2006, 2009 and 2010). The current Chicago Bull led the Washington Huskies to a Sweet 16 appearance during his collegiate days in 2005. He was originally on scholarship as a football player at Washington. Looks like he made a gutsy but correct choice to pursue basketball. He got his break after being drafted by the Phoenix Suns late in the first round. He would start his first game in the NBA with the New York Knicks.

A short stint in the NBA followed a heralded college career for his hometown Louisville Cardinals where the diminutive shooting guard led the Cardinals to an Elite Eight appearance. The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Wheat but he began with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1997. Wheat played just 80 games in two seasons. His second coming with the Vancouver Grizzlies where he averaged just over 4 points per game. Wheat ended his career playing in Mexico and Canada for a variety of minor league teams.

Fred Jones enjoyed an 8-year NBA career with stops in Indiana, Toronto, Portland, the New York Knicks and finally with the Los Angeles Clippers. A 14th pick overall of the Pacers in 2002, Jones peaked in 2004 averaging more than 10 points per game, including 87 trifectas in 77 games played. Jones bounced back with his former GM Isiah Thomas, but the next year he signed with the Clippers to close out his NBA days.

Being 6-5 might sound big for your community league team, but Byron Houston put new meaning to small forward. The Oklahoma State Cowboy was selected in the first round, 27th overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1992 draft. Houston struggled to find consistency, steadily declining in his short four-year career. His best season was his rookie campaign with the Golden State Warriors.

The UNLV power forward went undrafted but got his break with the Los Angeles Clippers in 1998. Nesby played in 50 games and had over 500 points. A year later he hit 973 but never quite got back to that level again. He changed his game and had a career year in his final season, this time with the Washington Wizards in 2000-2001 where he amassed 318 rebounds and only 13 three-pointers.

What more can you say about Sir Charles. Back-to-back-to-back leader in offensive rebounds from 1986 to 1989 despite his stature for a power forward, Barkley epitomized what it meant to fight for every inch of the court. He led the league in fouls his second season with the Philadelphia 76ers who drafted him 5th overall in 1984 out of Auburn. Barkley`s 16 seasons in the league was highlighted by 11 all star appearances and an MVP award in 1993.

Miller manned the tallest of positions at 6-9, small by NBA standards. He played nine years with seven different teams, but enjoyed his most success in his fourth season as a member of the Toronto Raptors. Miller had a career high 982 points, including a 35-point night against Philadelphia in his final game of the season. After a three-year break with European teams and even the Harlem Globetrotters, Miller had a short-lived NBA comeback with the Minnesota Timberwolves for just 48 games in 2003-2004.

If there is one sport in the world where height matters, it's the National Basketball Association. But for those height challanged, take comfort in the smaller men of the game who have had success during their careers.